Due to large sizes of the microspheres, they had to be ground up using a mortar and pestle before adding the 1μM rhodamine 6G dye solution.

Also DSC was taken of the different sizes of the microspheres to determine if the structure, function, and capability of the microspheres had changed due to extensive clumping.

When going through the process of preparing new microspheres from PVOH 146K 110% CEC Laponite w/ DMHXLBR, due to slowed vacuum filtration the sample was placed in a vial with the last solvent used for cleaning, methanol.

When freezing the new microsphere sample in liquid nitrogen, PVOH 146K 110% CEC Laponite w/ DMHXLBR, it was frozen in a medium of methanol and vacuum filtrated to remove the methanol residue.